


500 Words You Should Know: #75 Coherent

by jasbo



Series: Piffle, Tinkerty-Tonk, and a Rusty Plane [3]
Category: Jeeves & Wooster, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-21
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-15 06:10:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5774461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasbo/pseuds/jasbo





	500 Words You Should Know: #75 Coherent

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fire_Sign](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Sign/gifts), [gaslightgallows (hearts_blood)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearts_blood/gifts).



 

> #  coherent
> 
> [koh- **heer** -uh nt, - **her** -]
> 
> adjective
> 
> 1. logically connected; consistent: a coherent argument.
> 
> 2. having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious: a coherent design.
> 
> 3. [cohering](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cohere); sticking together: a coherent mass of sticky candies.
> 
> 4. Physics, Optics. of or relating to waves that maintain a fixed phase relationship, as in [coherent light](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coherent%20light), or light in which the electromagnetic waves maintain a fixed and predictable phase relationship with each other over a period of time.

> See also [laser](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laser).

“Dash it, it was awfully kind of you to deliver that message from Mrs. Stanley. Aunt Agatha will quite appreciate it,” Bertie stammered in his staccato tenor, blue eyes popping at the sleek panther of a woman currently occupying his settee.

“Well, I was traveling to London anyway, and I would do a great many more difficult things for my aunt,” Phryne replied.

“Ah,” said Bertie, trying to assume a wise, paternal tone but sounding rather more like a schoolboy attempting to explain the workings of a steamer to a designer of engines. “Aunts. Terrible nuisances, aunts.”

Phryne smiled slightly. “Mine is usually no trouble. Or she can be managed.”

Bertie’s eyes bulged in horror. “One does not _manage_ aunts. One might as well try to manage… a…”

The smile on Phryne’s face grew and she leaned forward, appreciating how it made his eyes start even wider. _I didn’t think that was even possible_ , she thought. “Manage a… what?”

“A very unmanageable thing." Bertie straightened his sagging shoulders. "We Woosters pride ourselves on knowing what can and cannot be managed. A case in point – Jeeves has just shimmered in with some of the old wet stuff. What ho, Jeeves?”

“Sir.” Jeeves bowed slightly and presented a silver tray with cocktails on it, first to Phryne and then to his employer.

“One of the most manageable fellows imaginable, Jeeves, yes?”

“As you say, sir.” Jeeves straightened.

“Positively malleable. Perfectly plastic.”

“Will that be all, sir?”

Phryne was certain she could distinguish just a slight skewing of the eyes and tightening of the jaw in the manservant. Oh, he was not one to be managed. And this lovely idiot was being run like he was on rails by his own valet, she would stake her entire stock of millinery on it.

“No, thank you, Jeeves. That will be all.” Bertie flapped his hand in what was presumably supposed to be a commanding way but only succeeded in looking like a man fending off a collection of unruly ducks in Hyde Park. Jeeves stalked back to the kitchen, his back straight.

Looking back at her host with her most brilliant smile, Phryne wondered whether attempting to make Bertie Wooster even more of a fool was a cruelty unworthy of her or a harmless little game.

Turning his slightly vacant blue gaze back to her, Bertie attempted a man-of-the-town grin but only succeeded in looking like he had a slight attack of cramp. That decided it. Definitely unworthy of her. Tossing back her cocktail, Phryne stood in a sinuous motion that caused Bertie’s eyes to pop again, but he hastened to his feet and bowed over his hand with a reasonable modicum of courtly grace.

“It has been a pleasure Mr. Wooster. Thank you so much for the cocktail.” Phryne directed her most brilliant society smile at him and tilted her head slightly, acknowledging his gentlemanly gesture.

When she turned to move to the front door, she realized that Jeeves had appeared behind her. As though he was able to intuit her desire to flee from a situation that might be amusing but was more likely to render her rather sorry for this wealthy half-wit.

“Ah. Jeeves. Good man. If you would see Miss Fisher out? It has been a pleasure, Miss Fisher.” He wagged a finger teasingly. “Five more minutes in your company and I might have lost my head and proposed. Ha ha.”

 _Definitely sorry_ , she thought. She walked in the direction of Jeeves’ extended hand, making for the front door of the flat. She allowed Jeeves to fetch her cloak out of the closet and settle it on her shoulders. Before he could move around her to open the door, she turned and looked up at him. He was… admirably tall.

“Mr. Jeeves?”

“Madam?”

“When do your duties conclude today?”

“Mr. Wooster generally goes to his club at seven, at which point I am at liberty, madam.”

“Ah. Well, it occurs to me that you may not be… properly managed at present. If you would like to rectify that, I can be found at the Clarendon.”

The faintest echo of a smile might have passed along Jeeves’ face. She also might have imagined it.

“I shall endeavor to be of service, madam.”


End file.
